From greenqueen.com.hk
A major survey by The Vegan Society shows that 3% of people in the UK now follow a plant-forward diet, and one in 10 are cutting back on meat and dairy.
As the British government gears up to become a policy and research leader in the alternative protein space, its public is seemingly embracing these future-facing foods too.
According to a 10,200-person survey conducted by Ipsos Mori for The Vegan Society, 1% of Brits say they follow a vegan diet, while another 2% eat in a plant-forward manner (with only occasional instances of meat or dairy consumption).
Collectively, this represents around two million Brits. On top of that, 4% of respondents identify as vegetarians, and 3% as pescetarians, meaning that one in 10 consumers are either cutting back their meat intake or have eliminated it altogether.
Women, youngsters, and Londoners lead the way
Contrary to other research pinpointing the taste and health aspects as the major drivers of plant-based consumption, The Vegan Society’s poll reveals that animal welfare is the leading factor behind UK consumers choosing to go vegan, with 57% identifying it as a primary motivator. This was followed closely by concerns around health (52%) and the environment (48%).
But some trends align with previously published research, with younger generations – particularly those aged 16-44 – driving the shift towards plant-forward eating. These Brits are twice as likely as older generations to embrace such diets, as are women (3.6% of whom identify as plant-forward) versus men (1.98%).
Unsurprisingly, London has the highest share of people following plant-rich diets (4%), alongside Northeast and Southwest England. Scotland, Wales and the East Midlands, however, have the lowest rates of meat-free consumers (2%).
“These results reveal a remarkable transformation in attitudes toward veganism and plant-based living across Britain,” said Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at The Vegan Society.
“It’s inspiring to see younger generations leading the way, with a growing number of people adopting more sustainable and compassionate lifestyles for a variety of reasons, from health to the environment to animal welfare.”
It follows a survey by Finder.com last year, which suggested that the UK’s vegan population grew by 78% from 2023-24, reaching 2.5 million. In fact, a total of 6.4 million people said they intended to adopt a meat-free diet in 2024.
UK makes play for plant-based
The survey was carried out between August and December 2024 and is being released to coincide with Veganuary, the month-long challenge where people attempt to adhere to a vegan diet for January. Last year’s campaign already broke participation records (with an estimated 25 million people signing up), and the organizers expect the 2025 edition to be even bigger.
The shift towards plant-forward eating is yet to be matched by companies’ balance sheets. Sales of vegan products fell by 2.8% in the UK between 2022 and 2023, with volumes dropping by 10% – although signs from early 2024 pointed to a slight rebound.
Meanwhile, UK policymakers are getting in on the act. The government has contributed £15M to a National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre, for example, to ramp up the R&D and commercialisation of novel foods, including plant- and fermentation-derived proteins.
The Plant-Based Food Alliance has called on Keir Starmer’s government to adopt several policies to make the food system more sustainable, including developing a national action plan for vegan food. Further, the Climate Change Committee has said meat and dairy consumption should be halved and replaced with plant proteins by 2050 to meet the UK’s climate goals.
Research shows that vegan diets can cut emissions, water pollution and land use by 75%, given that plant-based foods produce half as much greenhouse gases as meat and dairy. And even a 50% swap of the latter with vegan alternatives would bring double the climate benefits, halting deforestation and cutting farm and land use emissions by 12%.
https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/number-of-vegans-percentage-uk-plant-based-diet/
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